Roentgenpelvimetek



March 26, 1940.

R. TORPIN 2,194,990

ROENTGENPELVIMETER Filed March 10, 1959 'iiiin 3] 1 73 22 I 1 JP QC/Zairi Tarp 27L,

ammo Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES ROENTGENPELVIMETER Richard Torpin, Augusta, Ga.

Application March 10,

i 3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the determination of the size and relative positionof internal parts of the body, or of other objects therein, and more particularly to a roentgenpelvimeter for facilitating accurate determination of the size and relationship of ,the 7 parts shown upon a Roentgen-ray radiograph of the pelvic region.

The primary object of the invention is to.pro

vide a device for use in making Roentgen-ray radiographs of, the pelvic region preparatory to childbirth, in order to determine exactly the dimensions of the birth canal, or pelvic inlet, and to obtain with perfect accuracy other data which will enable the physician to determine in advance the conditions which may develop,.particularly during labor, and be able to act with full knowledge of any problems which may be. pre-,

sented. r l

, Further objects of the invention are to provide such a device which is of simple construction, which is durable and which can be economically manufactured. A still further object .isito provide such a device which may be used with a minimum of discomfort. and inconvenience to the patient, and which will facilitate the work of the operator.

Other objects of the invention, aswell as the construction and normal method of using the device, and other uses thereof, will be apparent from the following specification when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1; c

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view in plan of part of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and showing the perforated dimension plate in place thereon; and

Fig. 4 is a view in-transverse, vertical section, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. 1

It has been a known practice heretofore make a Roentgen-ray radiograph of the human body and then to make a second exposure, upon 5 accurately known. Errors in the measurement of 1939, Serial No. 261,111

, structure which it was desired to measure.

In general, the structure embodying the present invention comprises a base member upon which the patient is positioned, and two plane-defining members adjustably supported on said base members and having thereon end portions which-may be brought to those definite points on the patients body which define the center line of thebirth canal, or other line in the plane within which it is desired to know definite measurements, at least one of such members being so mounted that it may be readily moved from-its adjusted position to faeilitateremoval of the patient after a first exposure of the Roentgen-ray negative, and may be brought back quickly to exactly the same position to which it had been previously adjusted, so thata plate of lead or other material impervious to Roentgen-rays, but having therein small opens ings of known spacing, may be supported on the ends of such members and therefore will be, dur-- 'ing the later exposure, exactly in the plane of the birth canal or other desired plane, whereby the resulting negative or radiograph will show the anatomical structure and straight rows of small dots, the dots in, each row being uniformly spaced, and the rows being similarly spaced by the same distance.

As shown in the drawing, the embodiment of the invention comprises a base member formed of a horizontal portion ll, and'an inclined portionl2 hinged'to the horizontal portion at 13,

fan adjustable support being provided by which the inclined portion l2 may be held fixed at any desired angular position. An opening In is provided in the member l2 at its lower edge for a purpose which will later appear. As shown, such adjustable support is formed by overlapping members i4 and i5 hingedly connectedto the rear end of the horizontal portion H and to the inclined portion l2, respectively, and a set screw it threadedly mounted in the member I5 and passing through a slot in the member M, with an enlarged head for engagement with the upper surface of the member M to hold such members in adjusted position, The support member I4 is hinged to a plate I! which is fixedly secured to the horizontal portion II of thebase member. Fixedly mounted upon the base member H, undertheinclined .portion I2, is a pedestal or standard l8, the upper end of which is formed with a fiat surface l9 which is substantially in the longitudinal central plane through the base member H and the inclined portion I2. A slotted arm 20 is pivotally and slidably mounted upon the pedestal l 8, such arm having a slot 200, therein through which a set screw 2| passes laterally and is threaded in the pedestal, such set screw 2| having an enlarged head for engaging the side of the arm 20 to clamp it in adjusted position against the flat surface I 9.

Near the forward end of the horizontal base member guiding means are provided, consisting, as shown, of parallel strips 22 and 23 beveled on their inner facing edges at 24 and 25, their ends being joined together by cross pieces 26 and 21, such strips and cross pieces being secured to the base member H by screws or similar means. A sliding base 28 is provided which is beveled at its side edges as shown at 29 so as to fit between and underlie the beveled edges of the guide strips 22 and 23 and be held thereby from upward movement while being slidable relatively thereto from one cross piece to the other.

A pedestal 30 is rigidly mounted upon the base 28, and may be formed integrally therewith if desired. A slotted arm Si is pivotally and slidably mounted upon the pedestal 38, such arm having a slot 31a therein through which a set screw 32 passes laterally and is threaded in the pedestal 30, such set screw having an enlarged head for engaging the side of the arm M to clamp it against the flat side face 33 of the pedestal, after such arm has been adjusted longitudinally and angularly to the desired position.

The adjustably mounted arms 2!] and 3| are substantially identical. Short cross pieces 34 and 35 are provided on the arms 20 and 3|, respectively, at theadjacent ends of such arms, the central point of such cross pieces being preferably indicated in a suitable manner, as by short grooves 36 and 31 in the upper, fiat surfaces thereof.

The opposed grooves 36 and 31 constitute indicating points which are brought exactly into horizontal alinement with those points on the patients back and pubic bone, respectively, which are in the plane of the pelvic inlet, or so-oalled superior strait, and the flattened upper surfaces of the cross pieces 34 and 35 constitute means for accurately positioning and support ing a thin plate 38 of lead, or other material impervious to Roentgen-rays, having therein a plurality of parallel rows of small perforations 39, the perforations in each row being uniformly spaced, for instance by one centimeter, and the rows being spaced from each other by the same distance.

In using the device, the base 28, with the pedestal 30 and arm 3!, is moved back out of the way and the patient sits upon the base member portion I i with her back in engagement with the inclined portion l2. It is usually preferable, as a preliminary step, to indicate by small spots upon the patients body the points upon the back and upon the pubic bone which define the line of the center of the superior strait or birth canal, or of the corresponding line of such other plane in which it may be desired to know definite measurements. By adjusting the inclined back portion l2 of the base member the patient preferably is brought to a position in which the spots are brought to about the same height above the horizontal portion ll of the base member.

The sliding base 28 is moved forward into contact with the cross piece 26, and the points 36 and 31 are adjusted into line with and very close to, or in contact with, the line-defining points or spots upon the patients body. It will be noted that the arm 20 projects through the opening I2a in the inclined portion l2, and that the cross piece 34 is in front of the inclined portion l2, but such opening [2a affords ample view of the back of the patient to permit accurate positioning of the cross piece 34.

While the cross pieces 34 and 35 and points 36 and 3! thereon are so adjusted the exposure is made, in accordance with the usual standard practice, or with such variations therefrom as may be desired, the Roentgen tube being usually 32 to 36 inches above the plane defined by the cross pieces 34 and 35, and centered between them, and the plate or film being underneath the patient. The sliding base 28 is then retracted out of the way, by sliding it along the guide strips 22 and 23 without disturbing the adjustments and, after the patient is removed, the sliding base 28 is returned into its previous position, into engagement with cross piece 26, whereby the cross piece 35, with point 31 thereon, is returned exactly to its former position. The dimension plate 38 is then placed upon the fiat upper surfaces of the cross pieces 34 and 35, care being taken to see that it is not tilted laterally, and a second exposure of short duration is made upon the same negative. The resulting radiograph shows the desired details of anatomical structure, upon which showing there also appear parallel rows of small black dots. It will be appreciated that, even though the holes in plate 38 are spaced by exactly one centimeter, the dots will not be spaced by exactly one centimeter, and will not be spaced from each other by exactly the same distance over the Whole area, because of the divergence of the rays, because of the fact that the negative was farther from the source of the rays than was the dimension plate, and because the amount of divergence is greater as to openings near the edge of the plate than as to those near the center of the plate.

In determining the dimension in the central plane of the superior strait between any two points shown on the radiograph it is only nec essary to count the spaces between dots, as each space corresponds to one centimeter in such plane, suitable estimate being made of any parts of the end spaces in which such point or points are located on the radiograph. It will be apparent that, by use of the present device, the radiographs will show not only the other details under investigation but that at a glance a very accurate estimate of dimensions can be made therefrom without any measurement or complicated calculation.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that changes in size and other details of the parts can be made within the scope of the invention, which invention is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for use in indicating upon Roentgen-ray radiographs images corresponding to a scale in a predetermined plane, comprising a body-supporting table including a base portion, an inclined portion angularly adjustable relative to said base portion, and means for securing said inclined portion in adjusted position, a member having therein a series of uniformly spaced'open- I ing's, adapted to be supported upon the adjacent ends of said arms.

2. Apparatus for use in indicating upon Roentgen-ray radiographs' images corresponding to a scale in a predetermined plane, comprising a body-supporting table including a 'baseportion an inclined portion-angularly adjustable relative to said base portion and means for securing said inclined portion in adjusted position, said inclined portion having an opening therethrough, an arm adjustably supported upon said base portion and having its forward end projecting through said opening, a member slidably mounted upon. said base portion for movement toward and from said inclined portion, and an arm adjustably supported upon said slidable member at least one of said arms having'a terminal portion at its end nearest to the other of said arms extending lat- 1" erally in both directions from'the center of such arm.

a body-supporting table including a base portion;

3. A scale-supporting means for use in producing radiographs, comprising the combination of an inclined portion angularly adjustable relative w to said base portion and meansior securing said inclined portionxinadjusted position, said in-p' clined portion having an opening therethroug h,

a member slidably mounted uponvsaid base por-- tion for movement toward and from said inclined portion, a standard extending upwardly from said base portion back of said inclined portion and in 'line with said opening, a standard extending upwardly, from said slidable member, a pair of slotted arms each mounted upon one of said standards, each of said arms being slidably and angularly adjustable relative to its standard and having means for holding it in adjusted position, at leastone of said arms having at its end nearest the other of said' arms a terminal widened upper portion. I

a I K I RICHARD TORPIN. 

